True Grit

I keep tabs on global-warming related posts, and I noticed one today from Brit and Grit basically asking, “Where’s the evidence?” for global warming. So I posted a reply, pointing to some online sources of information. I received a very polite and thoughtful reply from “the Grit.” In it he (she?) mentions some of the reasons for his doubt:

There are questions as to the reliability of the historic data, various warming and cooling cycles prior to any influence by human activity, satellite observations that don’t correspond to ground measurements, and so on.

He then concludes that there’s no justification for action until further study is undertaken. Given the state of information made public in the USA on the subject, this is an entirely understandable opinion. It also concords with my own approach: healthy skepticism. I felt an especial empathy for his statement, because a mere two years ago I was of exactly the same opinion.

Supreme Court

A case began today in the U.S. supreme court, Commonwealth of Massachussetts et al. vs US EPA et al. A number of states, led by Massachussetts, is suing the EPA, in order to force it to abide by the law. The law requires the EPA to regulate substances which might reasonably be expected to cause harm to the citizens of our nation. A number of prominent climate scientists have filed an amicus curiae brief (“friend of the court”) in order to provide background information.